A compromise between the Chicago Teachers Union and Chicago Public Schools led to the city agreeing to bus students to the “International Workers’ Day” protest.
Activists across the world are joining in the May Day celebrations and protests while advocating for political causes across the left-wing spectrum.
‘The future belongs to the youth, and so they’re going to have to pick up the mantle and take it up,’ Queen Weiner said.
That includes some of the students of the Chicago public school systems thanks to the teachers’ union.
The union was demanding that staff and students have the entire day off so they could join the protests, but they agreed instead on busing students out for “field trips” to protest.
The union got other concessions, including an agreement for zero retaliation against those who chose to participate in the protests.
“The fight for justice, dignity, respect, and the blood, sweat, and tears that were shed and the justice that workers endured to sacrifice,” said Don Villar, the secretary and treasurer of the Chicago Federation of Labor.
Protesters will march to Daley Plaza after a rally in Union Park.
Queen Weiner, a retired member of the teachers’ union, told WTTW-TV that she showed up to the protest to battle billionaires.
“I’ve been fighting in the struggle for a long time,” Weiner said. “And, you know, the future belongs to the youth, and so they’re going to have to pick up the mantle and take it up.”
Some parents were not as enthused as Weiner was about the time off from instruction.
“We are already seeing kids all over the district that are not being pushed to their standards. Taking another day from instruction for them is not beneficial for the kids,” one parent of a CPS student said to WGN-TV.
Others were upset that the children were being placed in a “high-risk situation” at the protests and some said there should have been parental input in the decision.
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The Kids First Chicago nonprofit said some parents were upset at the loss of instruction time.
Queen Weiner went on to say she hoped the students and teenagers were encouraged by the protest to “know that the fight never stops.”
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